Nutrition Plays Important Role At Phyllis Tuckwell

14^th – 20^th June is Nutrition and Hydration Week. It’s important for us all to get a balanced diet, but what if ill health and treatment have left you with a decreased appetite, nausea, sore mouth, or difficulty swallowing? Phyllis Tuckwell looks after patients and families who are living with an advanced or terminal illness, and has a dedicated dietitian who helps staff, patients and carers with advice and support on nutritional matters.

Food and drink play an important role in our lives, forming the basis of many social interactions, such as preparing and enjoying a family meal, catching up over tea and cake, going to a restaurant, or having a drink with friends. When this is taken away, it can be hard on patients and their families.

Phyllis Tuckwell supports patients who are living with an advanced or terminal illness, such as cancer, many of whom have difficulty eating. Some need softer foods, while others need enriched food and supplements to ensure that they are getting enough calories. Phyllis Tuckwell’s Nutrition Steering Group meets regularly to discuss patients’ needs and carries out surveys to gain feedback on the meals that its Hospice kitchen and coffee shop serve.

Patients on its In-Patient Unit (IPU) are offered three meals a day, as well as snacks, drinks and nourishing smoothies, but if there isn’t anything on the menu that appeals to them, the kitchen staff are happy to make something that they do fancy.

“It’s important that patients get the right nutrition from their food, but we also want them to enjoy what they’re eating and drinking,” said Moira Edwards, Dietitian at Phyllis Tuckwell. “We find out what food means to our patients, and help ease the anxiety that many relatives and carers feel when their loved one is having problems eating.”